Oblivion: A Memoir

by Héctor Abad Faciolince

One day I had to choose between God and my dad, and I chose my dad. It was the first theological disagreement of my life and I had it with Sister Josefa, the nun who looked after Sol and me, the two youngest.

‘No. I don’t want to go to heaven anymore. I don’t like heaven if my daddy’s not going to be there. I’d rather go to hell with him.’

I loved my father with an animal love. I liked his smell and also the memory of his smell on the bed when he was away on a trip.

I felt for my father the same way my friends said they felt about their mothers.